Conditions for the week of Sept. 13, 2016. Information is provided by Colorado Parks & Wildlife employees and local fishing enthusiasts. Keep in mind that fishing conditions change on a constant basis. Much can change in a week from the time this fishing conditions report is produced.

Metro Denver Area

Aurora Reservoir

The water temperature is currently around 65 degrees. The trout fishing from shore is slow. We have received a few reports of trout being caught using PowerBait from a slip rig from the west and east end of the dam. Boat anglers are reporting slow to fair success on trout trolling slowly with lures and crawlers in deep water. A few reports of rainbow trout in the 18 to 20 inch range are being caught from the boats. The walleye action from boats is rated at slow to fair using bottom bouncers and jigs in 20 to 30 feet of water. Perch action is good using jigs and worms throughout the reservoir. Park hours for September are from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Boaters should be aware boating times of operation are being reduced daily due to loss of daylight.

Chatfield Reservoir
Fishing remains excellent for walleye, bass, perch, bluegill, and trout. Live bait including night crawlers and minnows have been the best for all species. Shore anglers are doing well around the handicap pier area for all species and boaters are having success all over the lake. The Massey Draw area is fishing well from shore for carp anglers.

Quincy Reservoir
The water temperature is currently around 70 degrees. Bass fishing is rated at slow to fair, but we have received a few good reports. A majority of the bass are being caught using soft plastics, drop shots, and chatter baits in 15 feet of water just outside of the weed line. We have received a few reports of smallmouth bass being caught using crank baits off the dam. Park hours for September are from 6 a.m. 8 p.m.

Northeast Colorado

Barr Lake
The current water temperature is around 67 degrees. Water clarity is poor. The fish are biting well, but anglers are reporting smaller fish on average. The trout, pan fish, and bass are all active and feeding in the early morning hours. The evenings are also fishing well, but anglers are reporting very slow fishing throughout the heat of the day.

Eleven Mile Reservoir

Action is decent, although bite times can vary. There has been stronger action in the late morning and early afternoon recently. Needlefish and Tasmanian Devils are still good and starting to see some fall action on jointed Rapalas. Jigging and drifting bait also has been very productive. Shore angling is improving but timing is everything. Night fishing is seeing the larger percentage of catches from shore (Courtesy of 11 Mile Marina).

Eleven Mile Canyon

Water flows are currently around 160 cfs. Anglers are reporting that the fishing is great and the water flows are perfect. Some bigger fish are being caught in the 16 to 18 inch range. There is a lot of moss and algae on the river bottom, so be sure to clean your flies and lures often. Evenings are good for dry fly action, but the fish are mainly biting below the surface. Try using midges and blue winged olive nymphs down deep. Most of the fish are biting nymphs in the 20 to 24 hook size range.

Jackson Lake

The lake level is relatively full and it is only about three feet down. The current surface water temperature is approximately 70 degrees. Fishing has picked up. Fishing had been fair to good for wipers, walleye, drum, channel catfish and trout.

Southeast Colorado

Arkansas Headwaters

Fall fishing is in full swing on the Arkansas River with Bighorn Sheep Canyon flows in the low 400 cfs range and the river running clear. Early in the day, expect midge larvae and pupae drifting on the current with many fish moving into faster, broken water. During the afternoons, expect blue wing olive mayfly nymph drifts. These afternoon drifts are fairly consistent on a daily basis from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and will be accompanied by an actual mayfly hatch if there is cloud cover and cooler conditions. In the early evening, expect brown trout to take up ambush lies along the banks and to be open to larger attractor dries and streamers. There is virtually no boat traffic on the Arkansas River now, making the wade fishing in Bighorn Sheep and Browns Canyons a great experience. Further upstream, flows are getting low and spooking in Hayden Meadows and it is taking longer for the river to warm up. With continued dry weather in the forecast, expect good water quality during the week ahead.

Clear Creek Reservoir

Trout fishing at Clear Creek Reservoir remains fair from both boat and shore. A majority of anglers reported landing groups of 8 to 12 inch rainbow trout. Shore anglers caught several trout on a bubble and Pistol Pete combination. Shore anglers usually experience success by fishing worms off the bottom as well. A majority of boat anglers reported landing multiple trout with a few boat anglers not landing a single trout at all. Trolling worms with flashers along the southern part of the reservoir was the most productive method to catch trout. Trout also went for pink Tasmanian Devil lures from a boat. Landing a kokanee salmon from a boat remains a difficult task. Midday water surface temperatures are averaging around 65 degrees. The reservoir is closed to trailer motorized watercrafts on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The current boating hours are from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.Lathrop

A majority of the anglers are having luck pulling in stocked trout on both lakes. Martin is providing a great northern pike bite, which will continue into the fall. The trout can be caught on PowerBait or night crawlers. No reports have come in for muskie or walleye lately. Stop by the visitor center to show off your catch, and get in the book.

Trinidad Lake

The current surface temperature is around 70 degrees. Juvenile smallmouth and perch are being caught from areas of cover using night crawlers. We are also seeing a few trout being caught on PowerBait from shore. Early mornings and later evenings continue to be the most productive times to fish. The catfish are hit or miss still throughout the lake at night using worms and liver. Fishing from shore has slowed down. Boaters are still catching trout, walleye, and perch using jigs tipped with a night crawler or artificial minnow. Some boaters are catching fish trolling worm harnesses.

Northwest Colorado

Rifle Gap Reservoir

Fishing has picked up over the last couple of weeks. Trout and perch are being caught throughout the lake. Walleye and bass have been caught near the dam.

Vega Reservoir

Fishing is starting to pick up with anglers reporting catching some nice rainbow trout and cutthroat trout in the 16 to 17- inch range using green PowerBait and night crawlers. The Island boat ramp is open for launching. Early Settlers and Oak Point boat ramps are closed for the season.

Southwest Colorado

Blue Mesa Reservoir

The current water temperature is around 65 degrees. Water clarity is good. Anglers are having plenty of luck with trout, perch, and kokanee. The reservoir seems to have less debris and algae now, so boating and fishing are getting much easier. The fish are the most active in the morning, and the mornings have been really cool. Anglers are doing well jigging near the inlets for the kokanee. Most of the perch and trout are biting spoons near rock points.

Taylor Park Reservoir

The current water temperature is around 56 degrees. Water clarity is good. Anglers are reporting catching plenty of small northern pike throughout the reservoir. The trout are also biting well and they are averaging is sixe between 12 to 18 inches. The weeds and algae are slowly receding, making fishing easier every day. The kokanee salmon are beginning to stack up near the inlet as they prepare for their annual spawn.

Statewide

Rivers and Creeks

The month of September in Colorado means cool mornings, hot days, and low water flows. The calm and clear water will cause the fish to become spookier, so being stealthy is important. Presenting delicate casts becomes more important this time of year. Anglers will need to start focusing on using lighter leaders and tippets to ensure the fish do not see their fishing line. This is when using fluorocarbon fishing line becomes more important than monofilament. Although your fishing line should be small, your flies and lures can still be big. The primary hatches throughout the month will consist of large caddis, blue winged olives, attractors, and terrestrials. If the fish are not biting grasshopper patterns, be sure to try other terrestrial patterns such as ants, crickets, spiders, and beetles. The best times to fish in September are from sunrise to 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. to sunset. When the day becomes hot and the bites slow down, try nymph fishing the deep holes and fast eddies. The most productive nymphs this time of year consist of prince nymphs, hare’s ear, pheasant tails, and copper johns. Dry flies and nymphs from a size 12 to 22 will produce the most strikes in September. If you are fishing a freestone river or creek, larger flies can be used. If you are fishing the tailwater below a dam, smaller flies should be used. Common techniques include a single or double dry fly rig, as well as a single or double nymph rig. Special techniques include a dry dropper rig or a triple nymph rig. If the nymph fishing is slow, try adding another split shot to your line. Often, the difference between an angler and a good angler is one split shot.